Expedition Meets in: Chamonix, France
Continent: Europe
Currency: Euro
Population: 67.75 million
Official Language: French
Seasons to climb: July through September

Meeting Location:

Our team will meet in the evening on Day 1 at the accommodation. At this meeting, you will have the chance to meet your fellow climbers and your guides. You will also go through the week’s plan, current weather, and mountain conditions as a team. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and review your gear to ensure you have everything you need.

Tourist Visas:

U.S. citizens with valid passports traveling for tourism or business can enter France, Switzerland, and Italy without a visa for a period of 90 days. The Schengen Agreement is a treaty creating Europe’s Schengen Area, which encompasses 27 European countries, where internal border checks have largely been abolished for short-term tourism, business trips, or transit to non-Schengen destinations.

You will need:
A U.S. passport that is valid for at least 90 days beyond your intended date of departure from the Schengen area. Note: Border officials often assume you will stay a maximum of 90 days, even if this is not your intention.
Sufficient passport validity for each country you will visit.
One blank page in your passport for stamps.
Justifiable purpose of travel.

Getting There:

You will need to fly into Geneva Airport on or before the official arrival day of your expedition. A CTSS representative will pick you up at the airport, so please advise us well in advance of your arrival time and flight number. If you experience a delay in traveling, let us know immediately.

Domestic Transportation:

Your domestic transportation into the Chamonix Valley is included in your expedition and will be booked by us on your behalf. This includes cable cars and trains.

Money:

In Chamonix, France, there is good access to ATMs and credit card facilities at most shops and restaurants, but you should still have adequate Euros and carry small denominations. Responsibly carry adequate amounts of local currency for your needs and reserves for emergencies. We advise our clients in our team emails as to how much cash they should bring.

Tipping:

Tipping in France isn’t mandatory, but it’s highly appreciated. The rule of thumb is: If you’re happy, leave a tip by rounding to the nearest Euro or two.

It is customary for your guides but not mandatory. We recommend tipping your guide 10 to 20 percent of the total cost. If you have multiple guides, you can tip the lead guide, and they can split that up amongst the other guides.

Adapters:

French plugs are round with two prongs, and usually Type C or E, which you can use in several European countries. We recommend getting a Type E because it accommodates both grounded and ungrounded devices.

Tap Water:

Bottled water is all the rage in France, but please know that their tap water is perfectly safe to drink and is widely available in restaurants and cafes.

Personal Safety:

While Chamonix generally experiences minimal crime, it’s wise to exercise caution against petty pickpocketing by avoiding leaving valuables in plain sight. Given the diversity of guests, it’s essential to remain vigilant. Keep valuables in a hotel safe if possible. Behave in France as you would at home. Be respectful, and always let your guide know if you’re going to venture out and what your plan is. In general, we prefer to travel and stick together as a team.

Vaccinations:

Consult your doctor or travel clinic in your home country for updated information on immunizations for France and the European Union. At this time, there are no vaccination requirements to enter to EU.

Accommodations:

All of your accommodations are included in your expedition. If you would like to stay longer or arrive earlier in Chamonix, France, there are many choices for hotels and Airbnbs in the Chamonix Valley. We recommend booking early as rates rise and demand for accommodation in the summer increases.

Gear Storage:

Gear storage is available free of charge.

Cell Phone Coverage:

Mobile network coverage in Europe is robust and comparable to that experienced during cross-country road trips or mountain excursions in North America. However, while in the alpine environment, it is unlikely that you will have any cell phone coverage. There are a variety of options for coverage and data services, so be sure to check in with your carrier to select an international plan that works for you.

Renting gear without reservations on the first day of the program is highly discouraged. Please arrange to pick up any rental gear prior to our acclimatization and training climb on Day 2.

An independent outfitter with basic mountaineering rentals

An independent outfitter with basic mountaineering rentals, including mountaineering boots.

An independent outfitter with basic mountaineering rentals.

Your safety and success are the top priorities, in that order.

A climbing company should invest heavily and plan extensively for your safety.

Mont Blanc is generally considered an approachable mountain, but that does not mean it’s free from hazards. High winds, rock fall, and whiteout conditions can exist on the mountain and at the summit of Mont Blanc. During the group dinner and gear check on the first night, the team will review the weather and mountain conditions, and your guides will make any recommendations or amendments to the itinerary

At CTSS, we ensure the safety of our climbers by employing guides with years of experience in the Alps and around the world. We design our itineraries to give our guides the ability to take advantage of weather windows and give you the best chance of success by climbing when it’s safe to climb.

Look for guides who are seasoned experts with a strategy that is patient, conservative, and well-planned to give you the best opportunity for success. They should be adept at managing the team, able to lean on extensive experience, and “thread the needle” when it comes to picking the best summit window.

Our mountaineering guides and staff are second to none, and our teams ALWAYS include a lead guide with extensive experience on Mont Blanc. They know the area well and understand how to make your climb of Mont Blanc as smooth and successful as possible.

Mont Blanc is a fantastic opportunity to learn and practice key mountaineering skills you will use throughout your entire climbing career.

CTSS dedicates a significant portion of our itinerary for training on the mountain. Your guide will also help you implement and continue to coach you in these skills throughout your climb. Some of the most important skills are often overlooked, like the rest step, pressure breathing, and pacing, among the more hands-on skills like self-arrest, efficient cramponing, and roped glacier travel.

If you are looking for a skills-based course and climb to hone your technical mountaineering skills prior to your expedition, check out our Australian Alpine Academy and Mount Baker Alpine Academy.

Does an operator have strong values?

This is sometimes a little harder to identify as it’s more a feeling than a sales pitch, but you should get a feel for a company through their little interactions, their care factor, their attention to detail, their corporate social responsibility, and their responses to you.

Mountaineering can be high risk and stressful, so pick an operator who has strong core values and a team mentality that aligns with yours so that when things get challenging, you can rely on open lines of communication, knowing they will do what they can to support you.

It is this team cohesiveness that flows through to each individual climber and helps them stand on top.